##@#%*†-:,                                          ,:-†*%#@##
@@@#%*†-:,                                          ,:-†*%#@@@
@@%%**†-:,                                          ,:-†**%%@@
##%**--:,,                                          ,,:--**%##
##@#%*†-:,                                          ,:-†*%#@##
##@#%*†-:,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,:-†*%#@##
@%%%*-,,,,             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ,,,,-*%%%@
##@#%*†-:,             %%%##########%%%             ,:-†*%#@##
@#%†:,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:†%#@
##@#%*†-:, FROM   NORTH   TO  SOUTH,   THIRTY   ODD ,:-†*%#@##
##@#%*†-:, KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR ,:-†*%#@##
##@#%*†-:, THOUSAND METERS.  FROM TOPSOIL TO STONE, ,:-†*%#@##
##@#%*†-:, A FOOT  OR TWO. NO ROOTS CAN  FESTER, NO ,:-†*%#@##
##@#%*†-:,             DUST CAN LINGER.             ,:-†*%#@##
##@#%*†-:,                                          ,:-†*%#@##
##@#%*†-:, HERE  IS  EARTH,  CLAY,  AND STURDY  LOW ,:-†*%#@##
#***†--:,, PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ,,:--†***#
###%**†-:, EARTH IS  BARE  IN PATCHES  AS  LARGE AS ,:-†**%###
#@%**††-:,                YOU AND ME.               ,:-††**%@#
##@#%*†-:,                                          ,:-†*%#@##
####%*†-:, CROSS  IT TO GET TO  THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ,:-†*%####
@@@#%*†-:,          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ,:-†*%#@@@
##@#%*†-:,                                          ,:-†*%#@##
###%**†-:,                                          ,:-†**%###
#@%*--,,,,                                          ,,,,--*%@#
##@#%*†-:,                                          ,:-†*%#@##
###*-:::,,                                          ,,:::-*###
##@#%*†-:,                                          ,:-†*%#@##